Pets at Home is preparing for “ambitious growth” as it starts directly sourcing “innovative” new products through its first Asian office.

Opening in Hong Kong next week, the new base is the specialist retailer’s first step in a three-year global sourcing plan. The office will develop Pets at Home’s existing partnerships in Asia, while direct sourcing is expected to improve product quality and supply.

Pets at Home head of global sourcing and quality Mark Atkinson said: “We see the Hong Kong regional office as instrumental in driving our ambitious growth plans.

“In addition to increasing the amount of products we source directly from manufacturers in the region, we view Hong Kong as a platform to further explore Asia to identify new sources of innovative pet products.”

The Hong Kong opening is a further step in streamlining the retailer’s supply chain, following moves before Christmas to develop a 300,000 sq ft distribution centre in Northampton to service its southern stores. It also moved its multi-channel operations, which were previously at an external third party facility, to Northampton.

American Golf chief executive Nick Wood was this month named as the new chief executive of Pets at Home, which was sold to private equity firm KKR for £995m in 2010. Wood replaces Matt Davies.